This Game
by Phoebe Miller
Summary: What began as a 508 Coda - Steve and Danny chilling out after the wedding...and then some.
1. Chapter 1

_**Just a teeny tiny fun little 508 coda.**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own H50. Fan fiction is just my junk food. :-)**_

Danny sat on the couch, feet propped on the coffee table. Definitely rockin the sock game. His feet ached from his new shoes, but he didn't say anything. He knew a few beers would take care of that complaint soon enough.

They were watching a game, just the two of them. Everyone else had gone their separate ways after the reception. As usual, Danny found himself back at Steve's taking full advantage of his super awesome cable package.

"You ever think you'll do this again?"

Distracted and drinking his beer, it took Danny a few seconds to answer. "This? You mean marriage, babe?"

A nod from Steve. "Yea."

"Hmm – I don't know." He took another sip of his beer still thinking about the question.

Both had their ties off, shirts untucked, a few buttons undone. Well Danny did anyway. Steve still looked as dashing as ever, just a little wrinkled.

"That's a change." Steve was amused.

Danny shot him a curious look, still half lost in the game.

"Marriage. You always talked like it was the worst thing in the world." He paused, glancing at the television. His next words were softer, almost an after thought. "Before anyway."

"Yea well, I say a lotta things."

Steve downed the rest of his beer. "That you do, partner. That you do."

Instead of pushing for an argument, Danny turned up the volume on the TV. A flagged play had been called into question, and both sides were waiting for a verdict. Not that it mattered. The game was a total blow out.

"Danny."

"Yea Steve."

"You okay?"

"Yea Steve."

"Come on, Danny. You have to say something."

"Something."

"Funny man."

Steve's hand found Danny's, and he didn't pull away. But he didn't respond either. He simply let his best friend slide his fingers over his own, tracing every edge, every space.

"Steve?"

"Yea Danny."

"You okay, babe?"

"Yea Danno."

"Want another beer?"

"I'll get'em."

"Thanks."

Under thirty seconds later, he was back. Two beers and a bag of chips. Close to a new record. Danny was watching the clock tick down the quarter.

"This game – it's exciting." Steve arranged himself beside his friend again. Arm slung over the back of the couch.

Danny frowned. "Not sure what game you're watching, babe. Score's not even close."

He felt fingers flutter across the back of his neck. Then they were gone.

_Wait, what?_ Danny held his breath.

Steve leaned forward, twisting the top off his beer. He flopped back again, yelling something at the game. Then his hand brushed Danny's leg.

Neither said a word.

Until –

"Let's watch a movie." Steve turned toward his partner, big grin.

"Are you coming on to me?"

"You said it yourself. The game is boring." Question ignored. A new game started.

"Thought you just said it was exciting, Steven." _And your hand is touching my leg again._ Danny chuckled, finally feeling just a touch of a buzz. "So you _are_ coming on to me? Huh?"

_Wait, what?_ This time Steve held his breath before recovering.

"What are you talking about, Danny? You're the one taking up all the room on this couch."

He wanted to tell Steve there were other places to sit in this room, but he didn't.

"Funny. If you weren't being so obvious."

"Obvious, Daniel?"

"You keep touching me."

"So? It's my couch."

"Okay." Danny nodded sinking back against the cushions. "We'll go with that then."

And he let Steve rest his hand on his leg. Wasn't a big deal.

In fact, it was kinda nice.


	2. Chapter 2

"Here." Danny tossed a wad of cash on the desk.

Steve looked up but didn't move. "What's this?"

"Money for that sports package you bought."

"Sports package? What? Do you mean the insane number of football games we've been watching lately?" He closed the laptop and smoothed the wrinkled bills.

"I know those things can be expensive. And it was basically my idea." Danny totally rambled right through his friend's questions. "I thought I'd be nice and-"

Steve laughed. "Wait. You be nice?"

"Ha, ha very funny." Danny waved him off. "Take the money, please."

"If it eases your conscience." Steve pocketed the cash. "You still owe me for lunch."

"Oh I see how you are. You buy me lunch one time in the last month and I never forget it." He held out his hand. "Give me back my money."

"There's no take backs, Danny."

"What are you? A ten year old girl?"

Steve didn't reply. He simply bit his lip and glared. It was one of those odd times when Danny wasn't sure if he was scared to death or madly in love with his best friend.

What felt like a decade passed, and then Steve took the money out of his pocket. Movements ever so slow, deliberate. Like that money was everything.

"You want your money back?"

Danny met Steve stare for stare.

"Yea, that's right. I do, Steven. I want my money back."

_Earn it._ Danny'd swear by the flash of a grin that they'd just communicated telepathically. He blinked and the moment was gone.

"Hold out your hand."

"Really Steve?" He had strange thoughts of arm wrestling him for it. Because that's what he'd do with Matty. But Steve wasn't his brother. Not really.

After a few more uncomfortable seconds, Steve simply opened his hand. "Here, take it. It's all yours."

The words were a mixture of amusement and mystery. Danny didn't have a clue where his partner's head was sometimes. Steve's mind was a scary place, after all.

And then Danny said the most ridiculous thing. "No you keep it. It's yours."

Steve suddenly looked like he might explode. "Seriously Daniel?"

"Keep it. Whatever." Danny shrugged.

He jumped up from the desk. "You aren't making sense."

Danny didn't budge. "You rarely do."

Steve's hands went to his hips. "Do you want your money or not?"

Danny whacked Steve's arm. "My money? I believe I gave it to you, Steven. And you said there were, in fact, no take backs."

Now the gauntlet was clearly thrown down and with a decidedly frustrated groan, Steve came back with something just as silly as both men tried to back the other into a proverbial corner. Things dissolved into a confusing argument about forgotten wallets, driving skills and someone neglecting to turn on the coffee maker that morning – on purpose.

Out at the smart table, Chin, Lou and Kono watched their colleagues. All were hungry and waiting for lunch. They'd all planned to go together to try out Kamekona's newest menu surprises.

Grover raised an eyebrow. "What's that? Their mating dance?"

"Not even going there." Kono laughed, shaking her head.

Chin simply smiled. "Give it time, you'll get it."

/././

_**Not sure where I'm going with this. There might be a few more chapters. **_

_**Thank you for reading. **_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Here's the next little tidbit of this story. Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoy it. And I hope it tides you all over until another person posts her next chapter... ;-)**_

"I'm fine. I'll see you tomorrow." Danny didn't wait for a response. He couldn't afford to give Steve the chance to talk him out of going home alone. Right then, he just didn't want any company.

"Hey, why don't we grab a few beers?" Steve reached out, lightning fast, snagging his friend's arm. He made his offer with the tilt of his head and his best grin.

"Thanks, babe, but I just want to sleep." Danny didn't look at Steve's face. He concentrated on the hand on his bicep instead.

Steve let go of Danny, knowing he wasn't going to win this one. They'd been arguing all day, so maybe some space would do them good. "Yea, okay. It's been a long week."

The partners stood there for a second, each with hands on their hips looking at the floor.

"Danny."

"I'm fine, Steve."

"See you tomorrow then."

/././

Steve woke to the sound of someone crying. His hand went to the gun he'd tucked into the couch cushions. Then he listened.

_Danny._ _Why was he there?_ _And how the hell did he get into the house without him knowing?_

His heart raced. Danny at his place unannounced in the middle of the night was unusual. Normally, he'd get a warning text if his friend was stopping by. And he'd knock before using his key.

He rubbed his eyes and sat up. The TV was on as he'd left it, volume practically muted. Two empty beer bottles sat on the coffee table. Not enough to even give him much of a buzz but they'd put him right to sleep.

Steve decided to tread lightly with Danny. He was going in blind. No clue as to why his partner was sitting there. It could be a number of things.

He crept across the room, not wanting to immediately disturb his friend. He needed to gauge the situation. See if he could read him for clues.

Danny sat at the table, holding a mug of something with both hands. His gun was there beside him along with his badge. Steve noticed for the first time that his partner was wearing the same clothes as earlier in the day.

_Where had he been all evening? Had he even gone home?_

Steve stood there a minute, just watching. The sobbing faded into intermittent hiccups as Danny regained his composure, making no effort to wipe his eyes or do anything but lean into the steam from his drink.

"You let yourself into the house. How did you do that without me knowing?" Steve ran his fingers through his hair, truly amazed. And totally downplaying what he was witnessing.

"I thought you were asleep. Didn't mean to wake you." _I didn't want to be alone _was written all over Danny's face.

Steve tried to play it cool.

"That's okay, man. Didn't mean to disturb you." _Even though you're in my kitchen. Crying. In the middle of the night._

"I made some coffee."

"Thanks." Steve didn't really want caffeine this late at night, but he fixed himself a cup anyway before turning back to his friend. "You wanna talk about it?"

"I'm fine, thanks." Danny took a sip of his coffee, slowly, deliberately.

It was said like there were to be no other inquiries. Final, firm.

But also weary and weathered.

Steve laughed. "So you want to play this game?"

"I'm not playing any games, Steven. It's 2 in the morning."

"You're sitting at my table crying in the middle of the night. I know I bought the cheap stuff, but the coffee isn't that bad."

His attempt at a joke fell like a rock.

Then, Danny closed his eyes, sucking in a shaky breath, and for a second, Steve thought he might actually get a chuckle out of his partner. Instead, Danny pushed away from the table and went outside.

Steve followed at a distance, not taking a seat beside Danny as he stopped at the familiar chairs, sitting down with a sigh. _Their spot_. Tonight something made Steve hesitate. He just watched as Danny leaned forward, head in his hands.

It was when Danny straightened that Steve moved. He stood behind his best friend, first making sure Danny knew he was there. Then he put his hands on Danny's shoulders, giving them a squeeze.

"You know you can tell me anything, right?"

Danny didn't shrug away, and as hard as he tried to ignore Steve, he flinched a little. His friend's warm hands felt good through the thin material of his dress shirt, sending a strange chill down his spine. And he started crying again.

Steve slid into the empty chair, overwhelmed and completely unsure of what to do next. After a few awkward seconds, he opened his mouth and promptly inserted his foot.

"So, you're really fine then?"

This got a tearful chuckle from Danny. And then a swift punch in the leg for Steve.

_**Don't worry...there's more to this conversation. ;-)**_


	4. Chapter 4

"It's almost Christmas." Danny said the words like they should explain everything. Then he clarified with another admission. "I miss my brother, Steve."

He didn't wait for Steve to reply.

"I know it's crazy. I hadn't seen him-" He didn't finish the sentence. He closed his eyes against more tears, and then began again. Words tumbling out like he'd been holding back for ages. "My folks are torn up over this. They'll never be the same. I don't have a tree. My heart's just not in it this year. And Grace doesn't believe in – well, you know."

Steve squeezed Danny's arm then let his hand drift back to his own knee. Suddenly self conscious about where he put his hands. Touch Danny or not touch Danny. Both choices felt weighted. Too big of a decision.

Until Danny reached out and pulled him close. As awkwardly close as one could get while sitting in those chairs. Steve felt his chest tighten as Danny leaned into him with a sigh.

Then, just as fast, they separated, chair rails jabbing in all the wrong places.

"It's been a tough year." Steve knew it was a lame thing to say, but it was the truth.

Danny nodded, rubbing his eyes.

"Matty."

"So sorry, buddy."

"My folks are a mess."

"Hey, you did good there. Going home to be with them."

"Grace growing up too fast."

"She's a good kid, Danny."

"Catherine leaving."

"Wait – Cath? Why tough for you?"

"Because I know what it did to you."

Steve nodded. Now his eyes were wet with tears.

Danny cleared his throat. "Ellie's nice though."

"Yea, she is. I guess. I really don't know for sure, Danny."

Steve shrugged, not wanting to add anything more. He knew his friend wasn't done.

"You disappeared again."

"Yea, but I'm here now. You guys found me."

There was a long pause, and Steve was about to speak again. The silence an uneasy companion to their conversation.

"We said _I love you_."

Danny's words caught Steve by surprise.

"Yea so?" He regretted the sharp edge to his voice.

Danny didn't seem to notice. "You told me not to say those words lightly."

"I did say that."

"So what did you mean? Does that apply to you and me?"

"Danny-"

"It's just so much at once. Matty, my folks, Grace." _You._

That uncomfortable uncertainty crept over Steve again. And like always, he said the first thing that popped into his head.

"I'm at a loss here, man."

Danny flinched away, and Steve knew he'd said the wrong thing. He needed to recover and fast.

"I can only think of one thing to do here."

He pulled his friend toward him so they were forehead to forehead. Nose to nose.

"Uh, Steve?" Danny didn't move, his voice steady.

Steve squeezed Danny's shoulder. "Just breathe."

"You smell like beer and coffee."

"You aren't much better, stuffy."

Danny reached up to wipe his nose, but Steve stopped him, batting his hand away.

"Didn't you ever do this with Grace? Just press your heads together and breathe for a minute or two?"

"Well-" Danny was at a loss for words. "Uh Steven, you aren't Grace."

"Yea. I know. Please just-"

"Shut up?"

Steve nodded against his best friend.

Danny, now laughing, tried to pull away. The fingers digging into his shoulders made him stop. If he hadn't been wearing a shirt, he knew he'd surely have marks there in the morning.

And suddenly all he felt was Steve's forehead pressing against him. Danny could barely breathe out of one side of his nose as it was, but now he had to open his mouth to catch his breath.

"Babe?"

Giving his partner a gentle nudge, the Seal was on his feet, a satisfied smile on his face. It took Danny a moment to regain anything close to sanity, and he almost frowned at that huge determined grin staring back at him. This couldn't be good.

"You need a Christmas tree, Danny. Might cheer you up."

_**Can't you just picture that grin? **_


	5. Chapter 5

The party was over. All the guests had gone home. The lights from the tree lit the room with the television on mute. Danny sat on the couch flipping through the channels aimlessly.

His partner still lingered in the kitchen, cleaning up whatever dishes remained and tucking any leftover food into the fridge. Seeming to know his friend had needed him to take over. To tie up any loose ends of the evening.

They were alone. Grace had gone with Rachel. Danny might see her over the long holiday break if work didn't get too busy. At the moment, he wasn't sure about anything at all.

Christmas would come and go without his brother as would many firsts in the year ahead. He sat there on the couch flicking the remote with no objective in mind except to lose himself. He missed the snow and cold weather of his hometown, knowing that familiar chill would go a long way toward clearing his troubled mind.

Instead, he had his partner and their ill-gotten Christmas tree. Somehow, they'd made it through the night without Pua spilling the beans about coming to commandeer the tree the next day. He almost laughed when he considered Steve defending Christmas against the eager beaver rookie cop.

"Hey. What?" Steve held up the citation, startling his friend.

He waved him off. "Don't worry about it, babe. I got it."

"Danny it has both of our names on it." He scanned the paper again. "So that's why Pua was here. I thought he was just flirting with Kono."

"Yea, I noticed. Just-" He reached for it. "Here, give it to me."

Steve didn't budge. "No."

"Steve, I'm not arguing with you about this right now."

"Danny."

Danny's hands shot up, snagging the citation. "No. It's Christmas. Let's enjoy our lovely tree."

Steve crossed his arms with a sigh. And Danny held his ground for about 5 seconds. "Alright, Steve. What?"

"I want you to be happy, man."

"So you steal a tree from a protected reserve? And get us cited by that overzealous rookie? God, we'll never live this one down."

"I'd do anything for you, Danny."

"Pay the citation then."

"$1200? Seriously?"

"Yea exactly my thoughts. Shoulda just bought the other tree."

"That guy was scamming you."

"So, it's better to break the law?"

Steve shrugged. "We break the law all the time."

"True, but that's in the pursuit of justice. Not Christmas."

"Your time with Grace is –"

"I know, and thank you, Steve. I appreciate everything you do. We would have been fine."

"With the Charlie Brown tree?"

"It was still better than my first Christmas here."

Steve smiled. "Yea?"

"Yea." Danny couldn't help but return his friend's contagious grin, if only for a few seconds. No matter what. This was better than his first holiday in Hawaii. In spite of everything.

They were quiet for a few minutes. The lights from the television and Christmas tree danced on the ceiling. Steve leaned against the back of the couch watching his partner.

"Hey, what's going on with you?"

Danny stretched, running a hand through his hair. "Tired. Long day."

"Uh huh. What else?"

"We've already had this conversation, Steven." His tone was cold.

"Okay." Steve backed off. He walked toward the kitchen. "Want some coffee?"

"Sure." Danny didn't move. "Sounds good. Maybe a splash of something harder?"

Steve laughed. "Sounds good."

Danny flicked off the television and followed his friend. "Are you staying here tonight?"

"On the couch?" Steve frowned. Noticing Danny flinch he added. "Hey, if you want me to stay, Danny."

He shrugged. "Yea, it's Christmas."

Steve nodded. "You don't want to be alone? Okay, I get it."

"Thanks, babe."

Steve chuckled, stopping in the doorway.

"What?" Danny went to push him out of the way.

Steve pointed to the ceiling. "Mistletoe."

"You've got to be kidding me." Hands on his hips, Danny studied the sprig of leaves and white berries. "We've been set up."

"Hey, it's tradition."

"No, it's Kono." Danny laughed. "I'd bet anything."

Steve wouldn't let Danny through the doorway.

"Not sure this is what our ancestors intended, babe." Danny laughed, not able to help himself. Certain he was now blushing.

"So you think this is funny?" Steve gestured between the two of them.

"What? You mean us? Like you and me?"

"Yea. You and me."

"You and me, what?"

Steve stepped closer, if that was possible. "Us."

"Us?"

Then Steve backed away slightly. "Are you seriously going to repeat every word I say?"

"Maybe?"

"It's tradition, man."

"You already said that."

Steve didn't continue the back and forth. Instead, he grabbed his partner, both hands on his face, backing him into the door frame so he couldn't move. For just a second, he caught the lights from the Christmas tree in Danny's eyes, and he was flooded with the urge to hold on and never let go.

Then, he planted a big wet kiss on Danny's lips.

And maybe they both lingered longer than planned. It was Christmas after all, and it had been a very long tough year. The comfort of their friendship was the only present either of them needed in that moment.

"Merry Christmas, Danny." Steve whispered once he found his voice again.

Danny opened his eyes and smiled. "Merry Christmas Steve."

/././

_**Happy Holidays to everyone who celebrates and best wishes for the year ahead! ** _


	6. Chapter 6

They never talked any more about it – the roaming hands, the kissing.

Christmas came and went. Pua never came back for the tree, and Danny never bothered to ask why. He knew.

_Steve._

Work was quiet. For once there seemed to be a pause in criminal activity over the holidays. Not that anyone complained. It was simply a sad fact that Danny now found himself alone on New Year's Eve. Grace would return from a trip to the mainland in a few days. Kono and Adam were tucked away at some secluded spot on another island. And Chin had romantic plans of his own.

Danny had been afraid to ask Steve what he was doing. He was afraid to go near him. Too many feelings had been stirred up. And maybe he wanted to be alone tonight.

To sort out the conflicting thoughts in his head. To tamp down the demons best he could. But they always came back in the form of his biggest failure. _Matty_

So maybe part of him wanted to be alone to sulk, to toast the New Year by himself. The first one without the possibility of his brother's return.

But also the first with new firsts – if that made any sense.

_Steve._

His god damn, gung ho, infuriating partner.

Steve and that damn mistletoe.

The football game.

The arguing.

The pilfered Christmas tree.

Lord knows he couldn't be angry with him for long. Steve was never good at romantic gestures. He didn't have much experience in that department.

Danny didn't need to ask any of Steve's girlfriends for their thoughts on that subject.

Frankly he wasn't sure why his mind had gone that direction in the first place. He had no idea what his best friend might have planned if he had expressed an interest in hanging out on this most auspicious of nights. So he didn't say a word. In fact, he'd avoided Steve all day. Timed his trip to the office to finish up some paperwork for late in the evening, hoping to find the office empty.

And so here he was without a date on New Year's Eve.

Until his crazy best friend appeared in his office doorway, startling him so much he didn't see the champagne until Steve held it up. Triumphant grin plastered on his face.

"Couldn't let you celebrate the New Year alone, buddy."

Totally oblivious to the fact that Danny was in the midst of brooding. Or maybe Steve did notice and he chose to roll right over the pity party in progress.

"I woulda thought you'd be off somewhere blowing things up or taking target practice."

"Nah, this is better." Steve produced two glasses from thin air.

"You're toasting my misery?"

"Hey, I'm serious."

"So was I."

"Danny."

"Don't Danny me. And don't touch me either."

"You mean, like this?" Steve leaned down and gave Danny a peck on the cheek.

"Hey, whoa!" Danny shrugged away. "Aren't you supposed to wait til the ball drops?"

"What? You mean like the groom not seeing the bride before-"

"Seriously Steven? Comparing our kiss to a wedding? Where the hell did that come from?"

"Worked didn't it?"

Danny was on his feet. "What?"

"Got you all riled up, didn't it?"

"That's your goal? Pissing me off?" Danny's face was beyond red.

Steve was all balls and bravado, hands on his hips. "Maybe."

"Maybe what?"

"Maybe I like to piss you off."

"What? Why?"

"Because you let your guard down." Steve didn't break eye contact though Danny's stare was burning holes straight through him. "And I can do things like this."

He kissed Danny – this time on the lips – and ran a hand through his partner's hair while the other hand snaked around his partner's waist to hold him in place. And there was no way he could have missed Danny's obvious shiver despite the fact he was paying more attention to the taste of his mouth. Peppermint and coffee. Always coffee.

Steve broke the kiss and to his surprise, Danny didn't move too far. Instead he simply turned, resting his head against Steve's shoulder with a sigh. Which was fine. They could stay that way all night.

"It's almost midnight." Danny was the first to speak. Lips brushing against that spot where shoulder and neck met. Steve's response was a nod.

"Yea." He slid his hand down Danny's back, fingers just a whisper under Danny's waistband.

"The toast and all. Champagne."

"Champagne." Steve murmured, eyes closed. "A toast to us."

Danny pushed away. "Us? There you go again with that us stuff again."

"So? I kinda like the sound of it." Steve grabbed the bottle and began opening desk drawers.

"Hey – what?"

"Found it!" His trademark goofy grin flashed across his face like a kid who just found a long lost toy in the sandbox.

"A cork screw? Where'd?" Danny shook his head. "You put that in my desk?"

"Say it again, Danny. Screw."

"Stop, you're-"

"Incorrigible?"

"Yea, where'd you learn such a big word?"

"You'd know about big." The grin was back.

"What are you? Now you're just being an idiot. Pop the damn top, would you? It's almost midnight."

"You said that already."

Steve opened the champagne and filled their glasses with seconds to spare. Handing Danny a glass, he smiled.

"To us."

Danny blinked. "To a safe and happy year. Nothing blowing up."

"Where would the fun in that be?"

They drank the bubbly and laughed. Danny surprised his partner by refilling their glasses.

"You trying to get me drunk?" Steve wiggled his eyebrows.

"No, no that would be too easy."

"You don't make any sense."

"This." Danny gestured between the two of them, spilling a bit of the sparkling liquid. "We don't make any sense."

"So?" Steve took the glasses from Danny and set them on the desk. "Why do we have to make sense?"

"Wait." Danny put his hand on his partner's chest. He knew Steve well enough to know a strategic strike was on the way. He had to put the brakes on any moves by the not so Smooth Dog in front of him. "Aren't we supposed to make resolutions? Smoke a few cigars? Sing Auld Lang Syne or something?"

Steve backed his best friend into a corner and onto the couch.

"Maybe my resolution is you, Danny."

"You really do know how to turn a guy on, Steven." Danny groaned.

/././

_**A Merry Happy New Year to all of you! **_


End file.
